Her palace shimmered with gold but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Cleopatra, the wealthiest ruler of her time and one of the most powerful women in history, was a canny political strategist, a brilliant manager, a tough negotiator, and the most manipulative of lovers. Although her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.

At only 18 years old, Cleopatra was already one of history's most remarkable figures: the Queen of Egypt. A lethal political struggle with her brother marked her early adulthood and set the tone for the rest of her life; a relationship with Julius Caesar, forged while under siege in her palace, launched her into a deadly mix of romance and strategy; a pleasure cruise down the Nile followed, a child, and a trip to Rome, which ended in Cleopatra's flight. After Caesar's brutal murder, she began a nine-year affair with Mark Antony, with whom she had three more children. Antony and Cleopatra's alliance and attempt to forge a new empire spelled both their ends.

The subject of gossip and legend, veneration and speculation in her lifetime, Cleopatra fascinated the world right up to her death. In the 2000 years since, myths about the last Queen of Egypt have been fueled by Shakespeare, Dryden, and Shaw, who put words in her mouth, and by Michelangelo, Delacroix, and Elizabeth Taylor, who put a face to her name. In Cleopatra, Pulitzer prize-winning biographer Stacy Schiff accomplishes a feat that has eluded artists and writers for centuries: capturing fully the operatic life of an exceptionally seductive and powerful woman, whose death ushered in a new world order.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stacy Schiff is the author of Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov), winner of the Pulitzer Prize; Saint-Exupéry, a Pulitzer Prize finalist; and A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, winner of the George Washington Book Prize, the Ambassador Award in American Studies, and the Gilbert Chinard Prize of the Institut Français d'Amérique. All three were New York Times Notable Books; the Los Angeles Times Book Review, the Chicago Tribune, and The Economist also named A Great Improvisation a Best Book of the Year. The biographies have been published in a host of foreign editions.

Schiff has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities and was a Director’s Fellow at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library. She was awarded a 2006 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Schiff has written for The New Yorker, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe, among other publications. She lives in New York City.

PRAISE FOR CLEOPATRA:

"A work of literature."— Judith Thurman, The New Yorker

"Enthralling."— Maureen Dowd, The New York Times

"A masterpiece."— Michael Korda, The Daily Beast

"The most compelling biography of the year."— Liz Smith, Wowowow.com

"Captivating....far more complex and compelling than any fictional creation."— Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

GIVEAWAY:

THANKS TO ANNA AND THE FOLKS AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I HAVE THREE COPIES OF THIS EXCITING BEST SELLING NEW AUDIO BOOK TO GIVE AWAY!THE RULES:

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--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRYHOW TO ENTER

+1 ENTRY: READ ABOUT CLEOPATRA ABOVE AND WATCH THE VIDEO. THEN COMMENT ON WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN THIS BEST SELLING AUDIO BOOK

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+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE CURRENT GIVEAWAY OF MINE YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU HAVE ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT ON ALL AS LONG AS THEY ARE ENTERED SEPARATELY

It is easy to see that Cleopatria was an unusual woman at the time that she lived. So many people, including Shakespeare have written about her and there have been many movies and books about her. It is difficult to know what is true and what is fiction about this woman. I would love to read more about this fascinating woman.

From the author's website, I learned that she has written a biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He wrote 'The Little Prince'. We read that little book in French Literature and I loved it so much that I can remember passages from it! (That is saying a lot for my memory). I would love to find out about that author.

I found out that: Schiff has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities and was a Director’s Fellow at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library.

Cleopatra was one of my favorite movies when I was younger, with Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton. I only remember the glamorous part of the movie and now would love to listen to a book telling of the many dimenions of the great Cleopatra. As the video said, it would be nice to bring that time period to life again. I would love to win this audio book.

I would love to win this because I think Cleopatra, along with Marie Antoinette, is one of the most fascinating women in history. I thought I knew a bit about Cleopatra, but it seems like I don't know much of the truth, just what is portrayed in movies!http://twitter.com/AmberGoo/status/8954069968224256

I want to read this biography by a well known author who has been successful writing other biographies. Cleopatra was a strong, powerful woman. I think this author will help sort out the tv/movie version of Cleopatra and what really happened throughout her reign.sunshine9ATimonmailDOTcom